Steelers' Aaron Rodgers Gives Honest Response To Fan Conduct At Games

The Pittsburgh Steelers have put themselves in a tremendous position to capture the AFC North crown. The team defeated the Detroit Lions 29-24 on Sunday in a game that came down to the final second. They can win the division this coming Sunday afternoon with a victory over the Cleveland Browns if the Baltimore Ravens don't lose to the Green Bay Packers on Saturday first. 

The Steelers performed incredibly well on both sides of the ball during the win against the Lions, but the talk of the league is not exactly on what happened within the scope of the game itself. There were fireworks on the field, but there were plenty of them off the field as well. 

During the second quarter of the game, Steelers wide receiver DK Metcalf was involved in an altercation with a fan on the sidelines, with Metcalf subsequently being suspended for the rest of the regular season due to his actions. After the game was over, talk throughout the league circles and fans revolved around why Metcalf did what he did and the role fans have played in instigating players during games as of late, with notable players on the Steelers making their opinions known.

In particular, Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers gave an address to the media where he discussed this very situation. Rodgers has been playing in the league since 2005, and has seen how the dynamics of fan behavior at games has changed throughout the years. When he was asked about what he's noticed about fan conduct at games, his answer is not only revealing, but he also gives a suggestion on what the league should do about issues like this.

"I think there’s a mindset that you pay for a ticket, you say whatever the h**l you want," Rodgers explained. "I think there should be some sort of code of conduct. Obviously [the Metcalf-fan incident] was intentional and I think there was some celebration [by the fan] afterward in his part."

Rodgers has firmly defended Metcalf in the days since his suspension was announced by the league, and his comments here continue to defend Metcalf after the fan instigated a reaction out of him. With Metcalf's suspension lasting through the end of the regular season, and the Steelers not having clinched a playoff berth as of now, Metcalf's outburst could have cost the Steelers more than just their number one wide receiver's availability in two important games.

As mentioned, there is still a chance that the Steelers have their playoff berth clinched for them by Sunday, should the Ravens lose on Saturday night against the Packers. That would make the final two games, and the entirety of Metcalf's suspension time, meaningless to the team. However, should that not occur, Metcalf's suspension looms large as the Steelers take the field, and Rodgers knows it. Rodgers' comments about how the fan may have intentionally caused this incident that led to Metcalf's suspension will hopefully be heard by the rest of the team, should something similar happen through the rest of the regular season. 

Rodgers' skill as a leader is undeniable, and after this incident, he'll likely be prepared to help keep the team focused on the games at hand, and not focused on any additional fans who would try to instigate a reaction out of the players. Nonetheless, the loss of Metcalf for the final two regular season games should send a message on its own, but even so, the Steelers still have a critical job to do.

Steelers Need To Remain Focused On The Field

Even if the game against the Browns becomes meaningless, the Steelers are riding a strong streak of momentum, and they need to continue the momentum by focusing on defeating the Browns. Rodgers' comments about fan conduct, along with the attention this situation generated, will hopefully discourage other fans from any similar incidents and allow the players to focus on the field itself.

What did you think about Rodgers' comments regarding fan conduct at games? Let us know in the comments below.

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